6 III. ANONACE^. [Annona 



riant and many-coloured foliage, supply magnificent shades of 

 colour to the primitive forests ; and many of the species, by their 

 fruits, which glow with the brightest scarlet-red, contribute to 

 the peculiarities of the tropical flora; some of them, such as 

 Awiona, Monodora, etc., create admiration by the great size and 

 woody consistency of their fruits; while others again, such as 

 " Gipepe " and " Capella," become articles of commerce, and have 

 been celebrated for centuries, by reason of the aromatic character 

 of their seeds. They prefer the densest primitive foi'ests, with 

 the exception of Annona senegalensis Pers., which was always 

 found on bushy hills alongside rivulets and in sunny situations. 



Some species aftbrd excellent timber, as for instance in the 

 island of St. Thomas. 



There have been observed in Huilla, between 4000 and 5510 ft. 

 alt., only one Xylojncrum and one dwarf Annona, the latter of 

 which appears to be spread over most mountainous regions of 

 tropical South Africa, and, what is a rare occurrence, is almost 

 everywhei-e called by the natives by the same name, " Maiolo," 

 " Mailolo," etc. 



1. ANNONA L. ; Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. p. 27 {Anona). 



The fruits of both the cultivated and wild species of this genus 

 rank amongst the most esteemed of any fruits; some of them 

 have been celebrated for centuries on account of their aromatic 

 seeds. An indigenous species in Golungo Alto and Pungo Andongo 

 is called "Anona ana" (dwarf Anona) by the colonists, and 

 " Maiolo " or " Maiolo " by the natives ; it is well worthy of 

 cultivation, having excellent fruit and a handsome appearance 

 in that state. The arboi^escent species of the flora of Huilla and 

 of the interior districts of Angola vary immensely in habit, as a 

 consequence of the forest fires, which for ages wandering shepherds 

 have repeatedly kindled. In the primitive woods, which have nevei- 

 been mutilated by the conflagrations, they have the proud bearing 

 of noble trees ; whereas the same species on the pastures after the 

 forest -fires gi-ow in secondary thickets only in dwarf forms, or as 

 low bushes, often scarcely a palm or a foot in height, but in dense 

 clumps ; and even in such a state are found to be gaily flowering 

 and fruiting. (See Welwitsch Sert. Angol. p. 17.) 



1. A. reticulata L. Sp. PI. edit. 2, p. 537 (1753); Oliv. Fl. Trop. 

 Afr. i. p. 15. 



Anona africana Chr. Smith in Tuckey, Congo, p. 28 (1818). 



IcoLO E Bengo. — A little tree, 6 ft. high ; cultivated in the garden 

 belonging to the convent of S. Antonio do Bengo, where it is said to 

 have been introduced from Brazil ; fl. Dec. 1853. " Fructo do Condo." 

 No. 748. 



Golungo Alto. — A small tree of 8 to 15 ft. in height, with spreading 

 branches from near its base, or a tree of 20 ft. ; flowers greenish- 

 yellow ; petals of the outer series occasionally 4, of the inner 1 or 2 

 feeble or wanting ; fruit oblong or variable in shape, nearly smooth, 

 gi-een, pleasant to the taste. Almost always wild, but also cultivated ; 



